Wisdom from “The Alchemist” by Paulo Coelho

Wisdom and/or quotes only have value when they are considered within the context it was created.  This requires from one the ability to read and understand what it was that the other person intended to say, so that one do not interpret and use outside of context – because then it becomes a lie.  For those of you who love to read, this is an excellent read with lots of pearls of wisdom.  For those who do not like to read, here are some thoughts to consider.  Have fun!

People from all over the world have passed through this village, son,” said his father.  “They come in search of new things, but when they leave they are basically the same people they were when they arrived.  They climb the mountain to see the castle, and they wind up thinking that the past was better than we have now.”

Making a decision was only the beginning of things.  When someone makes a decision, he is really diving into a strong current that will carry him to places he had never dreamed of when he first made the decision.

On dreams –

It’s the possibility of having a dream come true that makes life interesting.

I’m afraid that if my dream (going to Mecca) is realised, I’ll have no reason to go on living.

Men dream more about coming home than about leaving.

If someone isn’t what others want them to be, the others become angry.  Everyone seems to have a clear idea of how other people should lead their lives, but none about his or her own.

People are afraid to pursue their most important dreams, because they feel that they don’t deserve them, or that they’ll be unable to achieve them.

There is only one thing that makes a dream impossible to achieve: the fear of failure.

“I’m like everyone else – I see the world in terms of what I would like to see happen, not what actually does.”

The world’s greatest lie is that at a certain point in our lives, we lose control of what’s happening to us, and our lives become controlled by fate.

There is one great truth on this planet: whoever you are, or whatever it is that you do, when you really want something, it’s because that desire originated in the soul of the universe.  It’s your mission on earth.

Here I am, between my flock and my treasure, the boy thought.  He had to choose between something he had become accustomed to and something he wanted to have.

When each day is the same as the next, it’s because people fail to recognize the good things that happen in their lives every day that the sun rises.

Don’t forget that everything you deal with is only one thing and nothing else.

Don’t forget to follow your destiny through to its conclusion.

“Well, there is only one piece of advice I can give you” said the wisest of wise men.  “The secret of happiness is to see all the marvels of the world, and never to forget the drops of oil on the spoon.”

He realised he had to choose between thinking of himself as a poor victim of a thief and as an adventurer in quest of his treasure.  (After all his money has been stolen.)

Every blessing ignored becomes a curse.

People need not fear the unknown if they are capable of achieving what they need and want.

There must be a language that doesn’t depend on words, the boy thought.  If I can learn to understand this language without words, I can learn to understand the world.

There was a language in the world that everyone understood, a language the boy had used throughout the time he was trying to improve things at the shop.  It was the language of enthusiasm, of things accomplished with love and purpose, and as part of a search for something believed in and desired.

“I’ve learned that the world has a soul, and that whoever understands the soul can also understand the language of things.”

The language that everyone on earth was capable of understanding in their heart. It was love.

“Because I don’t live in either my past or my future. (Said the camel driver to the boy.) I’m interested only in the present.  If you can concentrate always on the present, you’ll be a happy man. You’ll see that there is life in the desert, that there are stars in the heavens, and that tribesmen fight because they are part of the human race.  Life will be a party for you, because life is the moment we’re living right now.”

Remember that wherever your heart is, there you will find your treasure.

The future belongs to God, and it is only he who reveals it.

If you pay attention to the present, you can improve upon it.  And, if you improve on the present, what comes later will also be better.

“It’s not what enters men’s mouths that’s evil,” said the alchemist.  “It’s what comes out of their mouths that is.”

Love never keeps a man from pursuing his destiny.

Anyone who interferes with the destiny of another thing never will discover his own.

One is loved because one is loved. No reason is needed for loving.

“There is only one way to learn,” the Alchemist answered.  ”It’s through action.”

Listen to your heart.  It knows all things.

The fear of suffering is worse than the suffering itself.

The darkest hour of the night come just before dawn.

Most people see the world as a threatening place, and, because they do, the world turns out, indeed, to be a threatening place.

Every search begins with beginner’s luck.  And every search ends with the victor’s being severely tested.

When you possess great treasures within you, and try to tell others of them, seldom are you believed.

Your eyes show the strength of your soul.

When something evolves, everything around that thing evolves as well.

When we strive to become better than we are, everything around us becomes better, too.

When we love, we always strive to become better than we are.

The boy began to pray.  It was a prayer that he had never said before, because it was a prayer without words or pleas.

Everything that happens once can never happen again.  But everything that happens twice will surely happen a third time.  (Arab Proverb)

The Alchemist said, “No matter what he does, every person on earth plays a central role in the history of the world.  And normally he doesn’t know it.”

Maktub – it is written.